Abnormal Relations
by Natta
Summary: When Beka enters a relationship with Dylan it doesn't turn out the way she had expected. Response to D. Lerious challange on the ssu
1. Abnormal relations

Abnormal relations  
  
By Natta  
  
Summary: Dark story. When Beka enters a relationship with Dylan, it doesn't turn out the way she expected. Response to D. Lerious's challenge on the ssu board.  
  
Disclaimer: Yadda yadda something.  
  
I take a quick glance in the mirror as I walk past it to see if the bruises and cuts on my face are hidden well enough. They're not, the make-up hardly covers anything. I sigh. I guess I'll have to make up some lie about walking into a door or something. I wonder when they are going to start suspecting something.  
  
I asked myself many times why I'm not telling anybody. I know I should, but.I can't. I wouldn't know whom to tell. Trance? Harper? No, I couldn't do that to them. They're so happy here, believing in Dylan, believing in his cause. Tyr? Rommie? That's not even an option. I don't blame them for not suspecting, although I would be very happy if they did. I mean, he is always so nice, so perfect.  
  
Who could ever suspect Captain Terrific of abusing his girlfriend? Who could ever imagine him beating me up while I'm lying in a whimpering heap on the floor? No one would.  
  
So, why don't I just leave him? I contemplate this while looking closer at the hurts that cover my face. I don't know. I suppose if I left him I would never really get away from him. We would still be on the same ship. He would find a way to get me in private and beat me up again. And if I left, it would be the same as if I told Trance and Harper. They would not understand, but feel obliged to follow me. And I would be robbing them of the lives they have come to know and love. I couldn't do that either.  
  
Just think about Harper. He went from being a mudfoot on Earth, running from nietchzeans all the time, to being the engineer of this wonderful ship, helping to restore the commonwealth. How could I take that away from him? I shake my head. The answer is simple. I can't. I have to continue living this nightmare.  
  
And maybe.it's hard to admit but I think I still love Dylan. Despite the beatings, the hard words. He's calling me a bitch, a whore, but somewhere I still love him. Or I love the man he used to be. When we first got together, he was the most loving man I'd ever known. Always taking care of me, making sure I was all right. I remember once when I was sick and he would try to feed me, checking my temperature all the time, asking if I needed anything. I was even hoping he'd propose to me. I actually wanted commitment. And then I got pregnant. Trance told me that it was a problem pregnancy immediately. That I had to be very careful. Dylan almost had me taken off duty, but I managed to bargain myself into quitting in the fifth or sixth month. I wasn't allowed to slipstream, go on away missions, or anything that was physically straining or dangerous. We were so happy about it.  
  
But the dream didn't last for long. I was in my fourth month, my belly was just starting to grow. It was slightly swollen and Dylan couldn't get enough of it. It was just to perfect to be true. I should have known something would happen. And it did. Suddenly, when I wasn't doing anything in particular, I was just walking through the corridors, I went into early labor. I screamed to Andromeda to get Trance, and she came pretty fast. But it was too late, the process was short and I had a miscarriage. Dylan was down on a planet, but he came back at once when he heard. I had been confined to the med bay by Trance, and when I heard he was coming back, I was waiting for him to come there and share the pain with me, but he never did. A few days later I was let out. He still hadn't come to see me, not once. I went to our quarters that night, he was there. He had removed all the things we had got for the baby.  
  
And from that day he was completely changed.  
  
In the beginning, he just slapped me now and then when I did something he didn't like. At first I hit him back, but soon I learned that was not a good idea. I also learned to do exactly as he said. I must admit that I changed too. Beka Valentine never takes orders from anyone. But I did. I did exactly as he said. Whatever he said.  
  
Has he ever raped me? Good question, I can't even answer that one myself. I guess technically no, because I never tried to resist him. But I guess you could call it rape, because I never wanted it and if I had resisted he would just have taken me anyway. But I know better than to resist him.  
  
In the night, I always stay awake until I'm sure he's asleep, lying perfectly still. I don't dare to move or even breathe loud. He would punish me for disturbing his rest. I thank the lord for the precious gift that I don't snore. When I'm asleep I guess I move, that's why I wait for him.  
  
He enters the room, just woken up. I tense, not knowing what mood he is in. He steps up to me and gently places a kiss on my cheek. My body relaxes again. He's not going to hit me. He turns me around to face him and studies the bruises and cuts.  
  
"Walked into a door again?" he asks lowly. I nod quickly.  
  
"Yeah, I did," I say although we both know perfectly well that's not what happened. He releases the grip he has on my shoulders and walks away.  
  
"Good," he mumbles. I quickly move towards the door, catching the opportunity to leave while he's still like this. I give a sigh of relief when I leave the room, heading for command. He never hits me when we're among other people, so there's a whole day before he gets the chance again.  
  
When I get to command, I meet Harper there. He looks at me strangely.  
  
"You hurt yourself *again*," he asks, looking at my wounds. I nod, looking away.  
  
"Just walked into a door," I say quietly. Harper frowns.  
  
"You've walked into an awful lot of doors since.you-know-what happened. What's wrong Beka?" I give a small nervous laugh but it doesn't quite reach my eyes.  
  
"I guess I'm just clumsy. Nothing to worry about," I say, quickly taking my station. I guess he sees that I don't want to talk more about it, but he's worried. After all these years, I can tell that. Soon Dylan enters and I wince, looking away. He pretends as if I don't, walks up to me and kisses me. I kiss him back, not daring to pull away.  
  
"Don't ignore me Valentine," he mumbles quietly before he walks away with that false smile on his face that I have come to hate.  
  
This will be a long day.  
  
****  
  
The shift ends way too soon for my liking. Dylan looks expectantly at me and I reluctantly follow him. He takes my hand in a false love gesture and leads me back to our quarters. When we come in, I see the gleam in his eye that means he's in *that* mood. I wince and back off, he follows.  
  
"I found this after you left," he says and holds up something he had left on the bed. It's Harper's tool belt. Something that wouldn't make anyone angry, but enough to trigger him off.  
  
"He must have left it here by accident," I stutter, backing off but knowing there's no way to escape.  
  
"By accident? Oh and when was he here?" His voice is dangerously calm. He couldn't possibly believe.me and Harper? I better not say anything about it.  
  
"He was here yesterday, telling me about the upgrades he has been making on the Maru." He drops the belt and walks closer to me. I back off until my back hits the wall. There's no escape now.  
  
"Oh and why were you ignoring me on the bridge? Disappointed that I interrupted you and Harper?" I shake my head quickly, tears welling up in my eyes.  
  
"No! Dylan it's not like that at all!" The first slap surprises me and it sends me to the floor. I know better than to try and get up, say anything or fight back, so I just curl up in a ball, preparing myself for what is to come. It doesn't really matter that Harper forgot his tool belt, Dylan would have found an excuse to hit me anyway. He starts kicking me now, in my stomach and on my legs. One kick hits the back of my head. All I can think of is to protect my face. If I'm hurt on my body, clothes will cover it up. On the face it's too obvious. I whimper and sob, feeling the tears running down my face as he gets down on the floor, removing my hands from my face. He hits me hard, adding to the bruises that are already there, splitting my lip so that blood starts to trickle down.  
  
"Have you had enough?" he asks. I nod quickly, trying to hold back the tears. He shakes his head with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Not nearly," he says. "Don't you dare moving," he says and rises.  
  
"Andromeda engage privacy mode," he says and the AI complies, not seeing me lying there, bruised and bloodied. He walks away from me and when he comes back, he has a metal stick with him.  
  
"Please don't," I whisper, knowing that my words serve no purpose. He starts to hit me with it, and the pain is extreme as it hits me, probably breaking several ribs every time. He swings it to my face.  
  
All I can see is blood. Blood and darkness. And silence.  
  
The End? 


	2. Tortured mind

Tortured mind  
  
By Natta  
  
Summary: Sequel to Abnormal Relations. After Beka being heavily abused, the crew has to figure out who did this and why. Meanwhile, the abuse continues in silence. Beka/Dylan, sort of.  
  
~Trance~  
  
Tears are slowly running down my cheek as I watch my friend on the biobed. She is unconscious and has been heavily abused. I'm not sure whether to tell her this or not, but she came very close to dying. She has a bad concussion and her skull came close to cracking. One more hit and it probably would have. She has more broken ribs than I can count and bruising and cuts are all over her. Some of them didn't come from tonight though, which worries me a lot. Beka's looked like she's been through a boxing round every day for a long time. No one ever walks into that many doors, it's just impossible! I've been reluctant to face my own suspicions but...what if it's Dylan? I know, I know, it sounds silly but all the signs are there. I mean, he's the one she spends most time in private with, and all this started just after they lost the baby.  
  
But Dylan, abusing her? That just sounds too unrealistic. He loves her! I saw the way they were practically glowing at the check-ups for the baby. But then again, he didn't once come to visit her when she was in med bay after the miscarriage. What if that was some kind of turning point? Somehow, his relationship to her just changed. But he seems so nice...suddenly I hear a moan from the bed and rush to Beka's side, quickly stopping her from getting up.  
  
"Easy. You were lucky you know, but you still have broken ribs a little here and there and a severe concussion. Try to lie down." She does, and doesn't seem as if to say anything, so I continue instead.  
  
"Who attacked you Beka?" She looks horrified, her eyes wide.  
  
"I...can't remember," she stutters. I've never heard Beka stutter before. I sigh, knowing that what she tells me is not the whole truth.  
  
"Is it Dylan?" She shakes her head wildly, looking mortified and then squeezing her eyes shut and giving a gasp of pain at the probably overwhelming pain in her head. I am quick with giving her a painkiller and she calms down, opening her eyes again.  
  
"Beka if it wasn't him.how come you've been bruised every day for a year? That's just unrealistic." She avoids my gaze, but I can see tears springing to her eyes.  
  
"It's just me being really clumsy, okay?" I sigh desperatly and walk away from her. I don't know what to do.  
  
I cast a glance to the door. I wonder if her loving boyfriend is going to show up soon?  
  
~Beka~  
  
I know Trance is watching me. And I know she knows I'm lying. But I couldn't tell her the truth. It would destroy all of us. It's better with just me suffering than all of us. I hurt everywhere and I don't think Trance exaggerated on all the broken ribs. Just when I think "I hope Dylan doesn't come" the doors opens and I just know it's him.  
  
"Beka!" His tone sounds seriously concerned and despaired, but I know it's false. Please Trance, don't let him take me!!! I feel the strong arms I know so painfully well pull me up and I squeal in pain as he touches the broken ribs.  
  
"I'm taking her back to our quarters." I recognise that tone. You don't argue against it. Trance just nods, and I don't resist of course. Just hoping he'll leave me alone now to heal up a little bit. Maybe he will.  
  
We get to our quarters and surprisingly enough he gently puts me down on the bed. He gently takes off my clothes, being careful not to hurt me any further. Okay. We are playing this game. Fine with me, but not one of the loving gestures he does is real. Soon I'm left naked and I shiver from the cold before he pulls the quilt over me. He quickly undresses and slids down next to me. I close my eyes, trying to block out the pain. I just want to sleep, to go away from everything. I hear the blissful silence for a few moments and I just want to slip away.  
  
"You know what I want to do right now?" Dylan says and strokes my arm. I just turn my head and look at him. I have a feeling I don't want to hear this. He moves up over me and I gasp in pain as he brushes past one of the broken bones.  
  
"Please Dylan," I whisper, "I hurt really bad." A whimper escapes me as he enters anyway. I think he founds pleasure in the fact that I am completely dry when he moves inside me. He feels better when he knows I don't like it. He makes firm contact with my injuries and my head is throbbing unmercifully. He makes one last thrust and then spills his seed inside me. I give a whimper as he pulls away, dropping down his body on the bed. I wonder what I have done to deserve this nightmare.  
  
And for the first time in my life, I wish I were dead.  
  
~Trance~  
  
"Andromeda," I call out, "would you please ask your avatar to come down here."  
  
"She's on her way," the disembodied voice says. Soon Rommie enters. "You wanted to speak with me." I nod and ask her to sit down. After she does, I look at her shyly and sighs.  
  
"It's about Beka. I think.I think it's Dylan who's hurting her." Rommie's eyes widen and she stands up.  
  
"That's.ridicolous," she spits out, "Dylan would never hurt anyone like that!" I desperatly look at her.  
  
"Rommie.I don't want to think that either, but how else could she have got hurt like that?"  
  
"Well, maybe it is like she says." I snort, throwing up my arms.  
  
"She walked into a door? Come on that's the oldest one in the book!" Rommie shrugs.  
  
"Well.but Dylan hurting her?" I lean down, looking closer at her.  
  
"Rommie.Beka was just brought in here with broken ribs and a concussion. Her skull was almost broken. Do you really think that could happen from walking into a door?" Rommie looks down and if I didn't know it was impossible, I'd swear there were tears in her eyes."  
  
"Well," she says, "if Beka says he's not doing anything."  
  
"But come on," I scream, tears running down my cheeks. She rises abruptly.  
  
"I'm sorry," she says as she leaves the room. 


	3. Opressed spirit

Oppressed spirit  
  
By Natta  
  
Summary: Sequel to Abnormal relations and Tortured mind. Beka lives in a nightmare, will she ever find the courage to get out of it? Beka/Dylan, sort of.  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Andromeda, people wouldn't be racking on it so much...at least not the Dylan haters.  
  
"Don't worry Beka. I'll take care of you...one way or the other.  
  
- Dylan Hunt, Dance of the mayflies."  
  
~Tyr~  
  
It is strange. Once I knew Beka Valentine as a strong woman, very self- interested and almost nietchzean-like. I used to enjoy our sparring games, even though I'm much stronger than her she can get the upper hand now and then, using all the tricks she has hidden up in that cute blonde head.  
  
But now...she's more of a kludge than Harper. After she entered a relationship with that excuse of a man Dylan Hunt, her self-preservation is at such a low level I'm starting to think it has gone on a permanent holiday. Or not right after, then she was still her old self, just a little changed by all the pathetic human love-bird stuff.  
  
It was after she had a miscarriage. I can understand Dylan was devastated. In fact, I was the only one not upset that he didn't visit her during her stay on med deck afterwards. As a nietchzean, I know the pain of loosing your child, especially your firstborn, which is the highest goal and most important part of your life. But to hurt your woman....that goes past the limitations of my nietchzean understanding, which I must say is very broad. It does not conclude abuse.  
  
Suddenly, Trance rushes past me, I grab her arm and pull her around. Her face is streaked with tears and I frown as she tries to pull away.  
  
"What's wrong?" I ask, trying to use my nicest voice. My nicest voice isn't very nice, but I'm a nietchzean.  
  
"It's Beka...and Rommie," she says and starts sobbing. I release her, but she doesn't run away. "Well, you saw Beka today and I spoke to Rommie," she paused for a hiccup, "and she said we couldn't do anything."  
  
"What?!?" I burst out, then taking a few deep breaths to calm down. "Are you saying we are not going to help her?" Trance just looks at me with a pleading look and I shake my head.  
  
I know what I have to do.  
  
~Beka~  
  
I know it's morning soon, but I hope I can still get a few more hours of peace before the show starts over again. The injuries I have hurts too much for words, especially after Dylan's harsh treatment of them last night. I just pray to the divine that I won't get pregnant again, since he never bothers to use protection. If I were to be pregnant, I could just see what would happen. He would be abusing me throughout the pregnancy, causing me to loose the baby again, which would only make him more angry. Make him hurt me more.  
  
Suddenly, the doorbell chimes. I rush out of bed, forgetting my broken bones and with a whimper falling down in a heap on the floor. I can hear Dylan get out of bed, and soon he's at my side, lifting me up and putting me back between the covers. He does it all in a very loving way, but his eyes are cold, holding a silent promise of what will come later. I know I will pay the prize for the early morning visitor.  
  
Without a word, he wraps a blanket around his waist and goes to open the door. From my position on the bed I can see Tyr's large form outside, and quickly pretends to be asleep. I can hear him and Dylan talk silently, and suddenly he shoves Dylan aside, striding up to me. He notices my nudity and hesitates for a split second before wrapping the sheet securely around me and scooping me up in his arms. Dylan looks completely dumbfounded and tries to stop him, but without success. Me, I just close my eyes again, stupidly pretending to be asleep.  
  
When we're out of hearing range, Tyr stops, looking down at me.  
  
"I know you're not asleep Beka," he says calmly. I peek open my eyes, feeling a bit stupid about pretending. I just don't know what to do now. Does he know? Well he has to know...or at least he must've guessed. He looks at me and his eyes are soft...almost human.  
  
"Don't worry," he says, "I'll take you to safety."  
  
~Tyr~  
  
I carry Beka back to med bay. Taking her away from there was a stupid thing to do, she needs to heal. But what else can you expect from an abusing man like Dylan Hunt? I can't help but notice the fact that she feels dangerously light in my arms, neither can I ignore how thin she's become. I've lifted her before, when we're sparring which annoys her a lot since she can't lift me and that gives me an advantage. Anyway, when I lift her then, she wasn't very heavy, but never anything to worry about. The difference is shocking, almost scary. It wouldn't surprise me if he tries to starve her too. Or if she's too scared of him to eat. Or if she's too scared to hold it down.  
  
The doors opens in front of me and I enter, Beka secure in my arms, her head resting back on my shoulder. Trance and Harper are sitting on one of the beds, Trance is crying and Harper's eyes are shiny too. When I enter, they both look up, breaking off their conversation. Trance's eyes widen and a wide smile starts to play on her lips.  
  
"Beka!" she gasps, then looks at me. "Tyr, you got her!" Harper steps up behind her.  
  
"Andromeda won't be happy about this," he says with irony, and I notice he doesn't call her Rom-doll anymore or not even Rommie. In a way, I understand the ship, she looks through logic. The problem is that her logic is clouded by loyalty for her captain. Harper's voice softens.  
  
"Boss? Are you all right?" Beka looks at him. I can't see her face, but Harper turns down his face and I see the glimpse of a tear quickly leaving his eye. I know exactly what look Beka gave him. If that helpless look can make my nietchzean heart break, just imagine what it'd do to a mere human. Especially a mere human who loves her like a sister. Trance smiles, trying to light up the situation.  
  
"You'll be just fine Beka," she says softly, then turns to me. "Put her on one of the beds." I do as she says, and when I lay Beka down, she turns her head to the side, not looking at anyone of us. Trance picks up some medicine and injects Beka with it.  
  
"It's a painkiller and sedative," she says and I soon notice Beka's body going limp and her eyes closes. But the peace is not long, the doors opens and a now fully dressed devil, erm Dylan enters.  
  
"What the hell do you think you are doing???" he barks. I look at him, my teeth clenched together in anger.  
  
"We are trying to take care of the woman you claim to love, something you apparently are not capable of," I say with a voice that is surprisingly calm, even to myself. Dylan snorts and walks past me. He sees Beka and walks up to her, starting to stroke her face with his hand. I'm sure I'm not the only one who notices the way he strokes is a bit harsher than you'd imagine a lover would do.  
  
"For your information, I am fully capable of taking care of Rebecca." I see Trance and Harper are terrified of the situation and unlikely to say anything. It seems like I have to deal with this on my own. Trance starts to take readings of Beka and suddenly, just when I am about to open my mouth again, she gasps.  
  
"Dylan..." she says with her voice trembling, "did you have sex last night?" Harper's eyes widen, as do mine. The damn bastard raped her after breaking her bones and giving her a concussion! Before Dylan can answer, I take a quick step forward and grips his collar, spinning him around.  
  
"Don't you dare touch her again, or I will have your head on a platter," I hiss and then throws him down on the floor. Dylan's face takes on an angry frown.  
  
"Just remember, I am still the captain." And he walks out. I turn back to Trance, trying to control the anger that rages in me.  
  
"So, he raped her?" Harper gives a disbelieving laugh, not a happy one though.  
  
"I would guess that. It's not likely she consented." Trance gives us all a terrified look.  
  
"And that's not all. It's hard to tell this early, but..." she pauses, probably searching for the right words.  
  
"Spit it out girl," I say, fear growing in my pit.  
  
"I think she's pregnant."  
  
~TBC~ 


	4. An enigma wrapped in a riddle with Dylan...

An enigma wrapped in a riddle with Dylan in the middle  
  
By Natta  
  
Summary: Rommie reflects over the recent occurrences and how to deal with them. In the mean time, Beka does the same but in a very different way.  
  
A/N Hey see the smart title? Lol, self-esteem is glowing. Anyone who can find a quote from the show and episode place it gets a gold star.  
  
~Rommie~  
  
Ever since Trance addressed the delicate matter of Dylan causing Beka's injuries, I haven't been able to think about anything else. I may have the brain the size of a planet, but yet.I have looked over all possible explanations and I still can't get how it happened. I can't accept what everyone else thinks. That Dylan did it. He is my captain, and my friend. He has always treated me very well. I can't remember that he ever unnecessarily hurt anyone. Why would he hurt Beka? I don't think it can be true. There has to be another reasonable explanation.  
  
What's so strange is that she claims that she walked into a door. Just like she always did. We are not stupid and I know she's not either. That much damage could not be achieved from a door, besides my doors are a little hard to walk in to in case they malfunction. Is she trying to tell us that Dylan did it by being incredibly stupid? I shake my head. But Dylan didn't do it. I know he didn't.  
  
There must be something else. Something she's not telling us. I will have Trance check her up again, maybe for unknown DNA. Maybe it's someone else, someone that goes undetected to my sensors. That could be a possibility.  
  
When I'm on my way to med deck I see a certain nietchzean walking toward me. A certain *angry* nietchzean.  
  
"Ship!" he roars, striding up to me. I stand perfectly still, my hands behind my back with a professional look on my face.  
  
"Yes Tyr, what do you want?" He snarls and his eyes look dangerous. I am a warship though and he doesn't frighten me. I could kill him anytime.  
  
"You know exactly what I want. You're letting your personal feelings for Dylan cloud your objectivity." I tilt my head to the side, silently asking for an explanation.  
  
"Why are you denying it?" he asks suddenly. "You are jealous of Beka because Dylan chose her as his mate. Now you can't make yourself believe that he's hurting her. In a way, you're thinking he hurts you if he hurts her because you'd like to be in her place." I feel confused. This was a very.far-fetched explanation.  
  
"I don't think that we should discuss my personal feelings," I said simply, not averting my gaze. He steps closer to me.  
  
"Then may I ask why you're so stubborn in thinking it wasn't him? It's so clear and we can all see it. All except you." Suddenly, things aren't so simple anymore.  
  
~Beka~  
  
God. God, god, god. Now what? They've almost found out. And what can I do? Just keep denying it, it's all I can. Dylan is letting me stay here, why I don't know. I just hope it lasts for a while and then when I'm better, I'm going back. I know everyone expects me to leave him but if I don't, maybe they'll believe my silly door-explanations. Ok, so they're not stupid. But what else can they do? I don't want them to leave the ship because of me. I'd rather stay with Dylan then letting them suffer so I can be better. Making them leave the Andromeda, it just isn't worth it.  
  
Trance is in the room with me, but I've been trying to avoid all conversation. Suddenly, she walks up to me.  
  
"Beka, your injuries are almost healed now. It's confession time or you have to go back." I just close my eyes, not answering. She sighs.  
  
"Beka.you're pregnant." My eyes snap open and horror rises in me. Trance must've seen it because she strokes my hair slowly and looks at me with compassion.  
  
"If he isn't hurting you, why are you so afraid?" I don't know what to answer. I don't have to, because in that moment Dylan comes in.  
  
"If you don't mind, I'll be taking Rebecca home now," he says and walks up to me. I get off the bed, I'm good enough to walk now. Trance looks surprised that I'm going with him, but there's not much she can do since I've healed.  
  
"Beka are you sure?" I look at her to reassure her but Dylan answers for me.  
  
"I suggest you keep your golden nose out of this. I don't see why but I think both Rebecca and I would prefer you didn't.think so much." He takes my hand and pulls me out of the room. I know hell is about to begin when he finds out about my condition. But frankly, I don't really care.  
  
~Rommie~  
  
I'm going to med bay again. Maybe Tyr is right, I'm going to have a talk with Trance about it. I should apologize to her too, I was rather rude when we last spoke. When I come there, she sits slumped at one of the beds, staring right ahead of her.  
  
"Trance?" I ask, "are you all right?"  
  
"He took her back," she says in an empty voice, deprived of all emotion. "And she went with him. She's pregnant again too, did you know?" I see how she's hurting from this and a pang of guilt hits me. I sit down next to her and puts an arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Well if she is, maybe it will change things," I say, no almost whisper. She looks up at me.  
  
"So you believe it now? That it is Dylan?" I wait a moment before answering, I hadn't even realized it myself. But yes I think I believe it.  
  
"Trance.I promise you. We will do everything we can to help Beka."  
  
~TBC~ 


	5. The Winds of Change

The winds of Change  
  
By Natta  
  
Summary: Harper decides it's time to do something. Beka is worrying over how to tell Dylan the startling news.  
  
A/N This chapter is dedicated to Mary Rose, who's been pestering me to write, and I simply figured doing it was easier than to try and make her stop. Gee, she's worse than my mother.(  
  
~Harper~  
  
Beka has always been like a sister to me. More of one than my real sisters that I never really liked. I love Beka a lot, not romance-love, but sister/brother love. As I said, she's like my sister. So imagine how hard it is for me to see this happen. Everytime I see Dylan I just wanna beat the shit out of him. But I know we can't just decide it's him, even though we're so sure. We need proof.  
  
"Fucking proof," I say to myself as I kick some of my tools and sink down on the floor. I hear a voice behind me.  
  
"I know it's hard Harper, but it'll be okay soon." I flinch and turn around. There's Trance, the golden one. I never bonded with the golden Trance as I did with the purple one, but I've still come to care about her and trust her.  
  
"If you say so," I say, not really in the mood to be nice. Trance sits down next to me and looks at me. I don't meet her gaze, not wanting her to see the tears that are forming in my eyes.  
  
"Harper, I want her away from Dylan too." I snort.  
  
"That's not enough, I want the bastard dead. Why don't we hand him over to the Drago-Kazov? Or what about the Magog Worldship?" Trance sighs.  
  
"I know, that's how it feels. But there is the possibility, even if it is small, that it isn't Dylan! He's saying so, she's saying so."  
  
"Of course it's him! I know it is!" I almost shout, upset as I am.  
  
"Harper.calm down," Trance says. "I think so too, but what if it isn't? We need to be absolutely sure first."  
  
"Yeah yeah," I say, looking down as I feel a tear leaving my eye. Trance appears to notice as she puts an arm around my shoulders. "We need fucking proof."  
  
"That's one way to put it I guess," Trance says. "Don't worry Harper.it'll be okay." She doesn't hear what I answer quietly to myself.  
  
"Unless she dies first."  
  
Suddenly my head pop up. Proof! I think I have an idea.  
  
~Beka~  
  
Dylan is walking in front of me back to our quarters. He said he's going to take me off duty to recover. I just hope he's not going to stay home too to "take care" of me. If he doesn't, it's going to be a lovely time, being away from him during the days. I know I have to tell him about the baby, if I keep it to myself he'll just be angry. A part of me is hoping that he'll be happy about it and thinks that maybe things will change now that we get another chance to be parents. But most of me only dreads the anger that I'm pretty sure will come. After he's dragged me into the room, he starts to walk away, ignoring me.  
  
"Dylan," I say carefully. He turns around, looking both irritated and surprised. It's been long since I dared to address him. "I just thought you might wanted to know," I stutter, "Trance said I'm pregnant." A mix of fear and hope floods through me as he approachs me.  
  
"Pregnant?" he asks, disbelieving.  
  
"Yes," I whisper. He's right in front of me now, and puts a hand gently on my stomach.  
  
"Really?" he asks, and in his eyes there is only happiness and.a glimpse of the man he used to be. The man who never hurt me. I just give a small laugh of relief and nods.  
  
"It's true," I say, my heart beating like a drum. Can things go back to the way they were? Suddenly, he kisses me, gently. He hasn't kissed me in.well a long time. At least not like this. It's always been brutal kisses with him just taking what he wants. This is a give and take experience and I lean into his gentle embrace, just enjoying who he is right now. Suddenly, he breaks the kiss and looks me deep in the eyes.  
  
"We have to make sure you don't lose the baby this time," he says. I nod quickly. Not this nightmare again. I will lie in bed throughout the whole pregnancy if that helps.  
  
"I think sex might be harmful to the baby as the baby will come out that way." It makes absolutely no sense, but I nod. "So," he says, "I guess we'll just have to do it another way." He has that gleam again. "Turn around," he says and my eyes widen. He knows I hate anal sex and without lube, it's pure hell. This is defenitly not the old Dylan. As usual, I know better than to resist him so I turn around, the wall just about a meter away from me. I feel him pulling down my pants and panties and I step out of them, he brings my boots with him as he pulls them off. He quickly disposes of my top and I hear him fiddle with his own clothes before I'm shockingly surprised when he suddenly plungs into me, without lube of course and the pain is horrible. I hit the wall as he continues to move and I realise I'm screaming in agony.  
  
~Harper~  
  
I'm crawling through the tiny shafts that goes over all the rooms at Andromeda. Finally I think I've reached the right room and I pull out the video camera and put it on. I know I'm in the right quarters when I hear the agonizing scream. I know people think I'm inexperienced, but that isn't really the case. I know the difference between screams of agony and pleasure. I've even heard both coming from Beka, so I should know. I heard her screaming while making love to Bobby one of those sleepless nights and I heard her screaming when she hurt herself really bad. This was defenitly a hurt-scream. I quickly found the little peekhole and filmed through it. Both Beka and Dylan were naked with Beka pressed up against the wall while Dylan fucked her from behind. I'm guessing he didn't use lubricant by the little pained sounds Beka makes and I know the camera will hear it too. My heart ache to jump down and stop him, but I know the most important thing I can do to help Beka right now is to film what happens and give them proof. He finishes rather quickly and Beka sobbing falls down on the floor. I blush a little at the sight of her naked front, she would kill me for looking at - and especially filming - her naked, if it wasn't so important. Dylan is naked too, but I don't blush at that. Naked, dressed, Dylan is still the devil to me and he deserves no modesty. I see him walk up to Beka and kick her. She rolls over and moans on the floor. He keeps kicking at her and I feel like throwing up. I think I have enough proof now. I run down and feel so blessed when I see Tyr in the corridor.  
  
"Tyr!" I pant, "Keep Dylan occupied, don't let him near Beka for a while, there's something I have to do." I run away, hoping he'll do as I say.  
  
"Rommie, Rommie!" I shout, have your avatar meet me in the obs deck and tell Trance to come too. When I'm there, they are already waiting for me.  
  
"What is it Harper?" Rommie asks and I show them the tape. "Play this," I say and Rommie takes it from me and starts showing it on one of the screens. The agonizing scream is the first thing you hear and the gray floor of the shaft until it reaches to the peek-hole. I avert my gaze, not wanting to see it all again.  
  
When I look up, Trance is crying and Rommie looks pissed off.  
  
"Come on," she says and we both follow her. Back to Dylan's quarters. 


	6. Moment of weakness

Moment of weakness  
  
By Natta  
  
Summary: Harper decides it's time to do something. Beka is worrying over how to tell Dylan the startling news.  
  
A/N The moment you've all been waiting for! This chapter is from Dylan's POV!  
  
~Dylan~  
  
I leave Beka in a heap on the floor, happiness and rage fighting inside me. She is pregnant again, but can I have a child with her? Even though I want one, her loosing the other baby made me so angry I can't love her anymore. She should have been more careful and the baby might have been all right. It was her fault and she has to pay for it. When Trance told me she was in medical and I should go visit her, that it wasn't her fault bla-bla-bla, I didn't want to listen. She had done it, I was the innocent one. Yet she was the one they seemed to pity, and they were angry at me for not visiting her.  
  
Then she came back to me, frail and broken. For a moment I wanted to hug her and kiss the pain away, but then remembered how she had done it. I had to make the pain worse, to make her feel what I was feeling. So the next day I slapped her when she was crying. She went awfully surprised and slapped me back. I shoved her out of the room and left it at that then. Later though, my courage and rage was bigger. When she slapped me back, I gave her a real beating. After that she went quiet and didn't talk to me for a while. After a few beatings she was completely changed. I thought she would tell someone but she never did.  
  
After a while, I raped her. Something I never thought I'd do to any woman. The first time I didn't really enjoyed it, but after a while I found the pain on her face and her tears somehow made it more enjoyable. I start putting on my clothes again and sit down in my favorite chair. I don't sit for more than a minute until the door opens.  
  
"Don't these people know how to ring a bell?" I ask myself as I get out of the chair, going to see who it is. I see Rommie lifting at Beka who seems to be half unconscious and Tyr who looks around with a raged expression.  
  
"What are you doing?!?" I ask. Tyr looks at me with a look of disgust.  
  
"Don't think you can hurt her anymore. The little proffessor managed to put it on tape." Rommie lifts up Beka and they leave, all forgetting about me.  
  
~Beka~  
  
I feel myself being carried and wonder why. They still haven't given up on saving me? I open my eyes and see that it is Rommie. She smiles at me.  
  
"Don't worry, we have proof now. We saw him raping and beating you, there is no way you will have to go back to him." A small glint of happiness is lit in me, but I just don't know anymore. Maybe it doesn't really matter.  
  
They take me to medical and thinking that I am asleep, they start talking.  
  
"Physically she'll be all right, but phsycologically...I don't know," Trance said.  
  
"I think all we can do is to try not to remind her of what happened. We have to do something about Dylan, she must never have to talk to him again," Rommie answered.  
  
"Yes," Trance said, "what do we do about Dylan? Do we leave him somewhere? He can't stay here after what he did." Rommie did an affirming sound.  
  
"Since this is heavy abuse it is considered a crime so we should be able to leave him in a prison colony somewhere." I can't help to flinch from this. They are willing to remove him from the ship to keep me safe?  
  
"We should probably leave her alone now," Rommie said. My whole body is filled with fear as they leave the room, I don't want to be alone! But I don't want to bother them anymore than I already did. So I stay quiet and pretend to be asleep, and in a moment, real sleep overcomes me.  
  
~Dylan~  
  
I reach medical where I know she is supposed to be. I sneak in and see her lying on the bed, her hair like a gloria around her head. She appears to be asleep, or unconscious, I don't know. I don't mind.  
  
But I have to have her. I can't tell why, but I have to have her. I don't love her anymore, I don't love anyone anymore. But I have to have her!  
  
I sneak in and lift her up. I know she hasn't been eating much so she feels like a rag-doll in my arms. It's nice to feel that she isn't healthy and well fed. I start carrying her toward the Maru. We're not going to stay here.  
  
No one notices as me and Beka leaves the ship and takes the Maru out into the silent space. 


	7. When theres no tomorrow

Beka slowly woke up again and was startled when she found herself not in the med deck, but in the Maru.  
  
"What am I doing here?" she thought frantically, "how did I get here." She made an attempt to calm down and breathed slowly.  
  
"Ok, let's see," she said to herself. "I feel asleep in the med deck. Someone must have taken me here when I was sleeping." A sudden fear hit her as she realized who that someone was.  
  
"Oh God, no..." she thought as tears started to form in her eyes. "Dylan is going to take me away from the Andromeda...what is he going to do to me?" Her hand unconsciously fell to her still flat stomach where her – and Dylan's, baby rested.  
  
She started to walk through the corridors, constantly on her guard in case Dylan would show up.  
  
"He's probably in command," she whispered to herself as she took the turn the right way. She realized surprise was her only way to take him down, so she took a metal stick and prepared to hit him in the back of his head when she got there.  
  
She was right. Dylan was sitting in the pilot's chair, apparently very calm so they had to be quite far from the Andromeda. Beka carefully sneaked up on him and hit his head, intentionally not hitting the right spot that would have killed him. For some reason, she didn't want him to die. She couldn't really kill him; maybe she would hurt people. She pulled his unconscious, but alive, body out of command and just left him there, locking the doors.  
  
As she sat back in the chair to get back to the Andromeda, she started to feel fear of return inside her. She realized she had changed so much after this had happened and she didn't know if she could ever go back to being who she used to be. Maybe they would feel they didn't know her anymore, maybe they wouldn't want her with them. She also realized with Dylan gone she would become captain and leader of the mission to restore the commonwealth. She couldn't do that, she was too weak. She turned the ship and went in the other direction. Maybe she should let Dylan have her and do whatever he wanted to her. He had already taken so much, her personality, her friends and her body. Why not let him take her life too?  
  
****  
  
Back on the Andromeda, Rommie started a ship-wide alert as soon as she noticed the Maru had left the hangar bay.  
  
"Emergency! All senior officers report to command!" Since all of the crew were "senior officers" it didn't take many minutes for them to arrive there.  
  
"What's wrong?" Harper asked, looking around him and frowning when he realized neither Dylan or Beka was there.  
  
"The Maru left the hangar bay seven minutes and forty-six seconds ago," Rommie announced, "Dylan was driving and Beka was there too, unconscious."  
  
"She was sleeping in med deck," Trance mumbled with her eyes wide, "and I left her alone..." Tyr looked at her, annoyed.  
  
"Guilt won't help us, girl," he said, then looking back at Rommie.  
  
"Follow them," he said, "as quick as you can." Rommie looked at him.  
  
"There lies the problem," she said, "Dylan have masked their tracks, using my command codes so I can't track them." Tyr started walking out of command.  
  
"I'll track them down with a slipfighter," he said.  
  
****  
  
Beka saw the slipfighter appear on sensors and immediately knew it was Tyr. She didn't know how, but she just did.  
  
"Does he care enough about a kludge to save me?" she said to herself and a tear rolled down her cheek. "But he doesn't know...he doesn't know me anymore." Suddenly, she heard a sound from outside the doors and her eyes widened in fear.  
  
"He woke up," she thought, "he woke up and he's going to kill me." She pulled off the seatbelt and stood up, unsure of what to do with herself. She saw the slipfighter getting closer, but not close enough. Dylan had almost broken down the door.  
  
In the moment the door broke down, she knew it was too late. Dylan had already noticed the slipfighter, there was no way she would be alive when Tyr arrived.  
  
"Start self destruct sequence, command code "shut up and do what I tell you"," she almost smiled when she remembered that old code.  
  
"Command code accepted. Self destruction in ten, nine, eight..." Beka's hand flew to her stomach. The baby would be dead before it ever knew life. Maybe it was better that way.  
  
Tyr saw the Maru explode and he felt a pain stab in his heart, a way he never thought he'd feel again. He regretfully pushed the little button and contacted Andromeda.  
  
"Beka and Dylan...are dead."  
  
****  
  
But in another part of the galaxy, on a hospital, a little baby girl was born. Her mother lift her up and looked at her with tears in her eyes, her red curls and blue-green eyes making her perfect. Her father stepped up to them and kneeled at the bed.  
  
"Rebecca," he said. "May she never see the darkness."  
  
The End 


End file.
